Paypal Hackers and a Mexican Dentist named Pedro Garcia

The Bend dentist wanted about $2000 for a root canal. So Nolan had planned on getting his tooth looked at down south, hearing how cheap it is. With a wee bit of Googleing, Pedro Garcia it was. And after a numb face and roughly 1 hour with Pedro and his nice assistant, Nolan was worse off than he was when he got there. JUST KIDDING! That's what one likes to think when talking about dentists in other countries. Pedro gave Nolan a filling instead of a root canal, and get ready for this. $52!!!!!!! That includes a check up visit next Monday at 2pm. Nice guy, nice assistant, beautiful office, great music keeping the energy nice, and very professional. Enough said on that. That was the good part of the day. Now, Round 2!

After 4 emails from paypal in 5 minutes tonight, Nolan was scared and confused. Norma Rozendaal deposited $55 in my paypal. Next, someone used my paypal to pay "Microsoft Corporation" $49. Then Norma was oh so kind to send me another& $30.22. Then, yep, you guessed it, I somehow sent Microsoft Corporation another $25. Freaked out because my bank account is linked to that paypal, I got on Skype with paypal fraud department and filed a claim and change all my info, and yadda, yadddda, yaddddda. It seems everything will be o.k, and I found a thread on exactly this problem to the tee. I am definitely more weary of my info over the web right now. Not to mention, strange guy above us, is an self proclaimed "computer tech", on the same Internet connection as us. I am super suspicious. AND, he has a belly button ring! Still waiting for more material for a blog dedicated to him. I am %100 confident, not only that the materials there, but that it will show itself, well hopefully not too much of itself we already saw the belly button ring. The surf has been great, the sun is hot, and we are living the dream. Rise, water, smoothies, water,beach,surf,water beers, snacks surf,water, smoothies, water, dinner, movie, sleep. In that order and only in that order or the Fung Shui gets all fucked up.

Location:Sayulita,Mexico

Surf

Sayulita is this cute fishing village with a little peak in the center. The right is slow and mushy, and close in. Perfect for beginners and long boarders and the left that comes around the other side of the sand bar, is long and fast. It was pretty small today but it was still sectioning 4-5 times. I am really eager to see this place when it gets a bit bigger. There is a campground on the beach in front of the left that was blasting Fat Freddies Drop the whole time. Bueno, mi amigos. Bueno.

Location:Sayulita

Welcome to the jungle

Woke up early and decided to get out and find some waterfalls. Remembering a spot Derek Youngberg had told them about, it was a plan. The town is named Quimixpo, and can be reached by boat only. After a little research, back on the road. Should be about 45 minutes away, then 240 pesos, roundtrip boat taxi. Almost reaching the destination, Nolan kept talking about a spot his Mom took him too 20 years ago in Puerto Vallarta, that had the most amazing waterfalls. Within 10 minutes they past a sign that said Eden Waterfalls and Restaurant! This has do be it, plans changed, making a left. 20 minutes up a somewhat technical dirt road, right passed the zoo( we were sure this zoo would make us cry if we went in), we were here. Dead smack in the middle of an amazing jungle.


A bit of developing has gone down in the past 20 years, still amazing though. It seems the Doublefaced Governor Arny filmed his movie Predator here, and they totally tried to capitalize on that. They tried but failed, from what it seems. Walking past the Predator Shrine and down into the abandoned restaurant, it was something out of a movie.(maybe they just never cleaned up the set 24 years ago). Half broken Margherita glasses on the bar, overturned chairs, oh wait, and a California girl zipping across the sky on a canopy tour. Of course that just happened.


After gazing around for a couple minutes, a big Bulgarian guy grabbed a rope swing and went for it. After asking him about the water depth, it was a go. This Bulgarian was much more pleasant than the Bulgarian boat captain Nolan had to work for a couple months back. He has re-kindled his love for the Bulgarians, любов! After Mom and Dad swung out Stella decided to conquer the 5 foot wall into the water. WOW! She just did that, and wanted to get up and do it again, and again.



Afraid Stella would not let go of the rope if she went for it, she was denied a shot at the rope swing. Stella was not stoked about that but she got over it. Next, it was time to cross over the bridge and venture around on the rocks. Super slimy and slippery, Nolan was the only one to slip, and it was a real banana peely style slip. SAFE! Into the cave, and up a sweet ladder.


Now standing atop a boulder with water rushing all around us, we decided that with the rain in sight (which has been serious downpour lately) we best get on land since getting stuck out here would not be good. One more rope swing, and we're out! Shelly conquered the drive down, and then stopped in the Romantic Zone in Puerto Vallatrta on the beach for lunch, where Stella played a couple little boys, and Mums and Dad chatted with some classic U.S transports living in P.V for the last 16 years. With this being the slow season, and the busy season still being slow, the beach vendors were like flies on shit. It was nuts! My favorite was a new cutting art they have going. Fuck real tattoos, and Who wants Henna. These guys will let you pick your favorite tribal piece from their book, then they will apply it with a knock off Sharpie Marker. Not even a real Sharpie? Come on, my kid even has real Sharpies! That was the day, concluded with Shelly insisting Nolan surf until dusk..

***The blog about the guy staying above is on the way, just waiting for a little more material to finalize it. Stay tuned, he's a character. See ya!

Location:Eden Waterfalls, Puerto Vallarta Mexico

La casita

In the new casita, and it feels so good to cook and do some laundry. Nolan has been wearing his clothing for so long it is becoming apart of him.
Our new place is $350 for a month with AC, Internet, washer/dryer and hot water. We are in between two beaches one of which we have not been to yet. The woman who cleans this place, Chela, had the river overflow into her house the other night, during the big lightning storm. Jeana, the landlord of this place, offered her family her house until they figured it out. But they couldn't make it to her house either because the river was blocking it. The poor things.





There are crabs everywhere. I was used to them in costa rica, but I haven't seen them before last night here, and it scared the wits out of me when I closed the screen door and it was stuck to it. Stella said she wants her house back where there aren't crabs. What's the fun in not having crabs? Eh curt?
Thank you so much to Austin Smith for picking up Hazel! She came in 12 hours early and we had to rearrange plans. Thanks for coming through. We would be having a really crap time with out our friends help this past week. It means a lot. We love you all!!

Location:Sayulita, Mexico

You told us so, paying off Policia, and a new house

Super sad day, yet relieving at the same time. Shelly and Nolan tend to think things in life are a bit easier than they actually are, and that probably will not change. Although, lessons will be learned, and the same mistake will most likely only be made twice. Thats just the way they do things. Dropping in now and figuring it out on the way. Everyone said they were nuts for bringing a 100 lb Newfoundland to Central America, via the back seat of a truck. And they were. But they said, "Fuck it, we got this," and tried to pull it off. Key word, TRIED! Nothing about it was o.k from the second that dog got in the truck. With the deadly combination of DENIAL AND LOVE working it's magic, it took 2,500 miles to buck up and re-think some shit. So after Nolan made 6,452 phone calls, 4,673 of which were dropped on Skype, and a full day driving all over Puerto Vallarta to find a dog kennel, the Mascot of the journey had to go back to Bend. Not an easy task. Mentally, top 5 on Nolan's all time stress list. ( not saying much since most everything makes Nolan does makes the all time stress list). Financially, mucho dinero! Physically, not too physical, although everything involves some sweat in this humid weather. Heartbreaking though. Not easy to put your Hazel Bear in a cage and ship her back to Bend, but it had to be done. Everyone's life was being compromised including Hazels. She is gonna be so excited to be back in Bend. Arrangements have been made, and friends and family pulled through to make Hazels Homecoming easy.

So, on the way to drop Hazel off, the good old sirens started flashing behind Bonita Negra for the first time. It's gonna happen, sooner or later, so let's do this they thought. Doing 80km in a 60km zone. Let's just say the whole situation was textbook, and a $120 ticket was paid off for about $30, and now everyone knows how to handle it the next time. Wait, never mind, there isn't going to be a next time.

We also got a new place for the next 30 days. Awesome, super cheap, and homey.
Thinking about everything so far here a few other things that should be mentioned. To get this all done a little quicker, here they are:

* Nolan lost the room key this morning. He found it after 3 trips back to the beach, and a little Dog shit bag investigative work.
* Stella got scared outta her pants when Shelly spotted a crab in the new Casita
* Skype and Fring kick ass. A cell phone plan is unnecessary.
* Jail broken IPhone 4 + Tomtom Mexico App = LIFESAVING GPS DEVICE!
* Hazel scratched the shit outta they hotel room door in Mazatlan which resulted in a $43.10 charge to the credit card.
* Hazel also scratched the shit outta the room in Sayulita, which resulted in Nolan busting out some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and, BAM, what scratch!

That's that, stay tuned.

Location:Sayulita, Mexico

Hazel bear the wonder dog!

Today is a sad day. The our baby girl is miserable here. She can't leave the hostel except for potty breaks, because by the time we get back to the room and to the AC it takes her a half hour to cool down again. She is like a polar bear in the tropics, and everything about her is out of place. There is a buzz around town about her. Grande perro negra.
We are taking her to Puerto Vallarta to get a kennel for her and then flying her home. So if anyone thinks they can love her and spoil her and appreciate her she needs a permanent home, and I would love it if it was someone we are close to, so we can continue to see her throughout her life and hear how she is doing.
We are all feeling the melancholy set in, even Hazel. She is probably bored out of her mind and asking herself where the cold water, and friendly dogs went.

Location:Sayulita

Onward towards Culiacan...... Nope let's keep going. This place is sketchy.

Looong day in the car today. Everyone awoke this morning in the unforgivable heat. Stella, once again, covered in mosquitoe bites.... Never fails with that poor mija. She is too damn sweet!
Left San Carlos and headed south. The toll roads are great. Comparable to U.S. roads, minus the delicious food merchants, over turned semis and federali check points.
Mexico is mostly untouched and vast, with so many recourses untouched, and indigenous people still living in remote areas. We will drive hundreds of miles passing only a few small shacks where they have put in PeMex gasoline stations, then when entering a city there are just crammed in houses and shacks and poorly maintained roads curving through all different directions and then some how you're spit back out onto the toll roads and back out to wide open spaces, and beautiful scenery.







There is such a chaos and hustle to these city's. When stopped, boys will start washing the window as we are screaming, no no no! Stella asking, " Why are they doing that?" With the number one rule of no driving at night in mind, it was a mad dash to Mazatlan. Nolan drove around 500 miles for the day. All of a sudden it was a whole new country.



Tropical, lush, and the sight of the Sea of Cortez. Even Hazel knows when When the drive is about to end. Other than a stopping point, Mazatlan wasn't exactly the ideal destination. Picture Vegas, but hotter, dirtier, worse roads, and worse drivers. But better food, prettier women, and the beach!! Mazatlan 1, Vegas 0. Finding a dog friendly hotel as fast as possible was número uno. The Holiday Inn it was. Freaked out by the bear in the car, the hotel staff was still friendly. Assuring La Negra Bonita would be safe in the guarded lot. And then the show started!!!!! Words cannot describe the rest of the evening. The most amazing lightning, thunder and sounds filled the sky. Amazed, and speechless, and hungry, it was a race to the beachfront restaurant to get the real show. Wowwwwww!!!!! Bolts, after, bolts, after bolts of lightning hitting the ocean right in front of the restaurant. Two islands right off the coast made for the perfect backdrop.


A 10 minute video was recorded that is in the works of being uploaded. Everyone out agreed they had never seen anything like it. After 15 minutes, it was no biggie to see 3 lightning bolts larger than you've ever seen, all connect and blast right in front of you. Totally nuts!

Location:Mazatlan, for the Light Show!!!!!

Hot as hot gets.

Ended up pulling into San Carlos around sunset. Everyone was relieved to see the ocean, palapas, pools and palm trees! Hazel was on her feet pointing to the beach. It had been a 9 hr day in the car with only a short couple stops for gasolina.





Learning quickly you must watch out for those topes (speed bumps), they come in all shapes and sizes and will rip the wheels right off your car if you aren't careful. Shelly hit one going 35 and Nolan looked like he was sick... Stella in the back yelling " Woohoo! Fun, let's do it again!"
With every bump in the road comes more experience and rejoicing that the Tomohawk is long gone. (our pop-up camper. RIP)
San Carlos is hot. Hotter than hot. Think about hot and then triple that and it is still hotter than what you are thinking, and this is nighttime that I am speaking of. You could imagine the joy of getting into the back of the truck to sleep like 3 sardines with no air flow.
Haha sleep? There was no sleeping... Some noisy creature was after Hazels food all night and hazel would wake everyone up every 15 minutes by doing a full charge while tied to the truck and jerking everyone awake when she reached the end of the line. Nolan was convinced it was a monkey, but not sure if we are south enough for the monos.
Shelly opened her eyes around 6 to Nolan looking at her. "Oh good, your awake. Let's go."
So, go we did. On to find battery powered fans, waves and greener pastures. Sure, San Carlos is a lovely place, and we didn't give it a full chance. But it is in the past now. no turning back!


A little taste of home, with none of the same product... Such a shame.

Location:San Carlos, Sonora

The O.C

The adventure took a pit stop in Orange county for a few extra days. Auntie LuLu got some quality time in with Shelly, which equates to late night cooking, and a famous 72 hour Ciszek hangover. Hazel got her final health exam so she is set. It's always awesome hanging with Jim and Ames. Steve at Electric hooked Shelly and Nolan up with new shades, while uncle Jim dialed her in with her first skateboard.



Stella got to hang with her Great Grandparents, which was a treat for everybody.


She even had her first diving board experience!!!!



The crew realized after about 3 days, they started to loose track of what they were set off to do and needed to get their shit together and head off. It's about time they pull the maps out and set their course once and for all. They say they are gonna do it everyday, but find a way to put it off . Bonita Negra is packed up and dialed. She can handle a 3 week off the grid, beach camping journey with ease! They are on our way to Lukevile, Arizona, just south of Tucson where they will spend one night there before hitting the border at sunrise.

Location:Orange County, California

Headed down south to the land of the pine

After a short nights sleep outside of Susanville, the gang headed into Mammoth around noon, and headed straight to Horseshoe Lake for lunch. The lake looks like a cool beach, minus the fact the volcano is putting off carbon monoxide that is killing everything. In preperation for Central America, all but Hazel left with a handful of squito bites. Heading back down to town, Bonita Negra was stopped by what appeared to be a nice young girl in need of help. As Nolan rolled the window down, the girl asked if he had a towrope. "I do"! Then her drunken colors shined as she told him that she has all kinds of vodka and nugs for them for helping. After 30 seconds of talking with her and another girl, they agree to help pull them out. 10 minutes later the ordeal was over, and it left Stella with a perfect example of what not to be like when she grows up. There is something to be said for girls drinking Vodka by the bottle in 85 degree weather. Good deed done, no rewards accepted, back on track. Waiting for Miranda"Panda"Beaver to get off work at 7pm, was an excuse for the crew to relax for awhile, and take their time finding the right hot spring for the night.

Mammoths hot springs are all time. Hot water, camping, and breathtaking views put this place second to none. After a couple wrong turns, and helping a calf find his mother, they posted up at a tub known as Shepard. It seats about 4 comfortably, and it is the perfect temp.





Panda showed up with an 18pk, chicken, and bigs hugs for Stella! The next 4 hours was spent catching up, and enjoying the amazing shooting stars that wouldn't quit. With Stella asleep, the candle lit hot tub session was winding down. That is until a crew of 8, showed up, got naked and jumped in. Considering cuddling in warm water with intoxicated LOUD kids was not sounding inviting, the crew jumped out and made a fire. After a nice chat with Rachel from their group, it was time tor some shut eye.

Location:Mammoth Lakes, California

Ahhh..... Almost on the road to our new life. First we had to give this big black beauty some love (the truck, yet to acquire a road trip name) New oil, fluid and all that good stuff. Poor kids have been in the car all day with no progression of milage. We are hoping to make it to Eagle Lake this evening in California, which is six hours away, but we are getting a serious late start.
Stella's whiney voice is prominent in the tiny confines of the vehicle and we are all tired already. We need almond milk, stat.
Goodbye Bend, friends, family, and Mcmenamins!

Location:Oil Can Henry's